News
from Residents’Association of Hout Bay
PO
Box 27031, Hout Bay, 7872
rahb@houtbay.org.za
March 05
ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS
Erf 2574 Melkhout
Crescent :
An application has been received for the proposed rezoning of a property
(situated right next to the library) to General Residential to allow 5
sectional title units plus 2 departures, one to allow more coverage (30%to 45%)
and the other to allow relaxation of street, side and rear building lines. We are still studying this but on first
indication it would seem that too many dwellings are being squashed onto a
small erf and the applicant is trying to get as many departures as possible to
allow this. Deadline: 21st March 05.
Erven 1007-9 Crn Skaif St/Broughton
Close:
proposed consolidation and subdivision into 5 erven for small ‘gated
village’. The application was passed on
to us by a neighbour, and, on enquiry, it seems that the SPA did not send it to
RAHB because the application did not include a ‘rezoning’ or a
‘departure’. However, inspection of the
plan shows some reason for concern, viz. that some of the proposed new erven
are smaller that the minimum 650 sq.m allowed , and also that the erven
stretch down to the middle of the Baviaanskloof River and the river corridor
has not been ceded to the Council as Public Open Space as, we understand, would
normally have been the case when the erven are re-developed. Therefore we have put in an objection to
these two anomalies. Deadline: Was Friday 11 March 05.
Erf
3363 Cnr Empire / Victoria Rds: proposed land use departure to
permit a physiotherapy practice on a single residential erf. The applicant desires that a second
physiotherapist work in the business and has provided 10 parking spaces within
the site plan – an indication of how busy the practice could be. We have sent in an objection, insisting that
normal policy should be followed i.e. that only one professional, who is the
resident of the property, be allowed to work there. If this policy is not followed there is the danger of the
predominant use of the property changing from residential to business. Thus the integrity of the residential zoning
of the area will be eroded. While there
is a commercial node close by we feel there should not be commercial creep from
this node. Deadline: 21 March 2005.
Erf
7754 Panache, Valley Rd: The applicant has appealed to
Province (DEA&DP, Planning) to take over the decision making on this
application on the grounds that the Municipality has taken too long to process
their application. We have
counter-appealed against this appeal (supporting the Council) as a legal
precedent has disallowed such action because it would take the issue out of the
public participation process. We have
asked the Province to convene a meeting (together with the Municipality) of all
IAPs to inform on the current situation and to respond to the various comments
and objections that have been submitted over the last few years. In April 2004, DEA&DP (Environmental
Management) ruled that an EIA was not appropriate as the application did not
contain “listed activities” as per the Environment Conservation Act’s schedule
of activities, and as such the Council should deal with it in term of LUPO –
Land Use Planning Ordinance. We are,
however, still concerned that various illegal building and development on the
property have compromised the application and the flood plain and that these
should be properly addressed before the application is sanctioned. We hope to follow up this concern with the
Province and the Council.
Erf 291-2, No.s 14 & 16 Victoria Ave: Application for (1)
approval of the Site Development Plan i.t.o. the conditions of the rezoning
approval, (2) Conditional Use to permit flats above the ground floor, and (3)
Departure to permit the relaxation of the bulk factor from 1 to 1.36, and (4)
Departure to permit the reduction of the required ‘space about the building’
(for the use of residents) from 284 to 253 sq.m. The original rezoning of these erven took place in October 1998
and, while the applicant has stated that the lapsing time has been extended to
June 05, we would like clarity on this from the council as the original
approval must have expired long ago.
The original application was for a change of the existing buildings into
offices of one storey, while the new Site Development Plan is for a bulky three
storey building predominantly residential. Thus the application has changed
significantly. Moreover we do not
believe that the new application is in keeping with what is envisioned for the
Victoria Avenue area of Hout Bay which should have a predominantly commercial
not residential use. We have sent in a
submission outlining our concerns. Deadline
for objections: Was Thur 10 March
2005.
Position of proposed new high school: Imagine Hout Bay have been pursuing the
establishment of a new high school for Hout Bay. The provincial Minister of Education arranged a meeting at short
notice to discuss the siteing of the proposed new school on the 14
February. We were unable to attend but
submitted comment on the issue on 21 February pointing out that the only
state-owned land available and appropriate is the “Forestry Land” which was
specifically allocated for facilities including schools when the IY land was
allocated for housing. The Public Works
Department has now sent out a tender for available private land for a high
school in Hout Bay in order for there to be more options to choose from, while
still considering the 3 previous choices (Kronendal School, Dr Kramer’s land,
Kronendal Farm).
LEASE
APPLICATIONS PENDING
Erf 4057,
Darling St (crn Skaif Street) : Application to lease part of Darling Street
road reserve (200 sq.m) to owner of Portion 1 of erf 4057 at R50 per annum plus
rates.
Deadline - Mon 21 Feb 2005 (letter submitted, land already illegally walled off)
Erf 149, Dune Lodge,
Harbour Rd: proposed lease of
adjacent 710 sq.m of public land and road reserve along Northshore Drive to
Ronzee Property (Pty) Ltd for parking and gardening for 5 years at a rental of
R600 per month escalating by 10% per annum.
Deadline Fri 18 March
Erf 4377, crn Albert and Harbour Rds: proposed
lease by owner of erf 4377 (B.C.
Barson, Albert Rd) of adjacent 181 sq.m of public land (portion of erf
150) for gardening purposes for 10 years at a rental of R50 per annum plus
rates. Deadline Fri 18 March
2005.
POLICIES AND LEGISLATION:
Integrated Zoning Scheme - 2nd Draft: We attended a Public meeting at Alphen Centre on Thurs 3 March 05, where
the 2nd draft for the new Integrated Zoning Scheme was outlined for
us. This is a critical issue for all
people to be aware of as it might change our neighbourhoods forever. One example of a negative change the
authorities want to make is to allow three storey dwellings with larger erf
coverage as a blanket rule for the whole of Cape Town. As we know, huge, three storey mansions are
inappropriate in a suburb like Hout Bay, especially on hillsides and next to
the beach. People need to object strongly
to issues like this. The accompanying
zoning maps are available for inspection at the SPA building in Plumstead only.
A copy of the Integrated Zoning Scheme document is available in the library.
Now is the time to comment. Ribbon development and urbanization pressure on our natural resources needs to be
severely curtailed before it is too late. This challenge is most
effectively best managed at the
planning stage and by preventing developments from being positioned in areas
that are either vulnerable to natural processes, or which disrupt these
processes to the detriment of other areas. Hout Bay is unique in it’s natural
resources and it’s environment. It is not like any other place. It needs to be
protected. Comments can be sent, faxed
or e-mailed to the following:
Fax: 021 938-8509
E-Mail: matthysen@capetown.gov.za (addressed to Susan)
Director: Planning and Environment
Attention: Mr M Jones
Integrated Zoning Scheme
Goodwood Municipal Building
Voortrekker Road
Goodwood
7460
Chairperson, Residents’ Assoc of Hout Bay
Tel 790-0268 lens@telkomsa.net
MEMBERSHIP:
(R50
per couple, R30 per individual)
Forms from Chairperson or Library or
rahb@houtbay.org.za
[March 2005]